As part of the Spatial-AV project, the Alliance’s latest technologies offer more creativity and better value

The Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance, leading provider of future-oriented solutions for an enhanced digital media and digital cinema workflow, will be demonstrating its latest technologies at IBC 2014, stand 8.B80, as a result of the completion of its Spatial-AV project. This project is the Alliance’s initiative to automate the procedures of 3D production and provide intelligent, modular, multi-sensory recording and production systems for immersive audio-visual media.

“Today, special effects are in high demand, and even more so if they’re in 3D. However, in the case of 3D films, this increases the complexity and drives up the production costs, which are already high to begin with,” said Dr. Siegfried Foessel, spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance. "The goal of our Spatial-AV project was to remove these barriers and create more opportunities for creativity – for both 2D and 3D productions and for both picture and sound, in order to enhance high-quality digital media experiences for the viewers.”

At IBC 2014, Fraunhofer will be presenting the following new technologies:Automated camera systems make 3D productions easy3D productions are complex and costly as the cameraman must operate and focus two cameras and the angle of inclination and the distance between the cameras must also be adjusted constantly. The Alliance’s latest software enables the second camera to automatically adopt the focus setting of the first camera and ensures that the cameras adjust to one another in an optimum manner.

Light-field technology creates virtual camerasFor more complex effects, the Alliance developed a unique, software-based system for light-field acquisition, comprising of 16 cameras. The system utilizes an easy-to-use user interface and intelligent data processing. This eliminates expensive and time-consuming on-location retakes, and enables creative work and calculation of light-field data, such as change in sharpness, change of the perspective, 3D effects or camera travel in all spatial directions.

Sound goes 3DUnless a viewer is seated in the middle of the movie theater, the spatial sound effect using the traditional channel-based method is less than perfect. The Alliance’s wave field synthesis, an object-based method realized for the first time, ensures that everyone in the audience hears 3D sound, no matter where they are.

OmniCam transforms viewers’ TV experiencesRecently used with the Vienna Philharmonic and the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ production of the final match, OmniCam360 enables a panoramic view of the stadium and the stands during live broadcasts. It comprises of ten cameras, doesn’t require complex calibration and is no larger than a normal television camera.

The Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance consists of Fraunhofer IIS, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Fraunhofer IDMT and Fraunhofer FOKUS. The alliance provides a network of deep expertise and intelligence for the development of scalable technologies and international standards that allow customers to stay ahead of the market.About the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema AllianceThe Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance consists of Fraunhofer IIS, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Fraunhofer IDMT and Fraunhofer FOKUS. The Alliance provides a network of deep expertise and intelligence for the development of scalable technologies and international standards that allow customers to stay ahead of the market. With the start of digitalization in the moving picture industry, these institutes joined forces in 2004 to offer R&D expertise with one face to the customer. The institutes are all well known in the industry for award-winning developments and standards like MP3, H.264, the DCI Compliance Test Plan for Digital Cinema, IOSONO, easyDCP software etc. In addition, they are contributing to ISO, SMPTE, ISDCF, EDCF.

About Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance:The Fraunhofer Digital Media Alliance consists of Fraunhofer IIS, Fraunhofer HHI Heinrich-Hertz Institute, Fraunhofer IDMT and Fraunhofer FOKUS. The Alliance provides a network of deep expertise and intelligence for the development of scalable technologies and international standards that allow customers to stay ahead of the market. With the start of digitalization in the moving picture industry, these institutes joined forces in 2004 to offer R&D expertise with one face to the customer. The institutes are well known in the industry for award-winning developments and standards like MP3, H.264, the DCI Compliance Test Plan for Digital Cinema, IOSONO, easyDCP software etc. In addition, they are contributing to ISO, SMPTE, ISDCF, EDCF. The head of the Fraunhofer Digital Media Alliance Dr. Siegfried Foessel is chair of the several ISO groups, SMPTE Regional Governor EMEA, Central & South America and President of the German Fernseh- und Kinotechnische Gesellschaft, the German equivalent to SMPTE.Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance Directory page